Integrating climate and urban development goals? An examination of policies with a focus on informal settlements in East Africa

African countries face the critical challenge of addressing climate change risks and impacts while pursuing development needs. We examine how climate and urban development policies related to informal settlements that are prone to climate change risks are integrated in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to understand pragmatic climate-resilient development approaches. Using a qualitative policy integration analysis, we identify synergies and incoherences between each country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and National Urban Policies (NUPs) in the context of sustainable development goals 11 and 13. The findings indicate synergistic climate-urban development targeting informal settlements in planned actions. Yet, ensuring mutually reinforcing implementation rather than conflicting is important. Kenya's short, medium and long-term priority actions on climate-proofing of infrastructure resonate with enhancing urban infrastructure and services, through embracing compact urban planning for efficient space utilization. In Tanzania, climate-urban development synergies appear around access to clean and safe water in urban areas and impacts of sea-level rise affecting island and coastal communities, while in Uganda, ambitions for green cities embrace climate-resilient cities and urban areas. Our review addresses concerns of how planned climate actions advance sustainable development, revealing linkages fostered with policy integration efforts towards climate-resilient development to create sustainable urban (informal) environments in East Africa.